The Return of our Ashes
by MindJinx
Summary: 2025. Miles Edgeworth, now LA's new Chief Prosecutor, continues to be haunted by his past with the unexpected return of a certain Lana Skye, wishing to reconstruct a new life for herself, bringing up buried feelings of affection, guilt and solitude. Both prosecutors will confront each other to understand the other's past and present actions, as well as to discover their own self.
1. Chapter 1: Cups of Earl Grey

_Chapter 1: Cups of Earl Grey_

The afternoon rain had been pouring down since the morning against the windows, creating a cold and chill sensation in the prosecutor's office.

Miles Edgeworth, one of the country's most prominent lawyers, recently promoted to the grand position of Chief Prosecutor, closed his eyes while sipping a warm cup of English tea. Placing it then on his lap, he took off his glasses for a moment, rubbed slowly his eyes, and exhaled a sigh. With a growing amount of paperwork, caused by the turmoil with the announcement of a completely revolutionary court system, that was bound to change the functioning of Justice and Law themselves, all because of a certain lawyer well-known to our protagonist, Edgeworth already felt overwhelmed. Readjusting his glasses, the prosecutor could feel pressure in the air. In the end, only a nice cup of Earl Grey seemed to make this sense of weight just fade away. If only for now, his ghosts could leave him in peace…

The door knocked. A discreet yet firm knock. Surprised, Edgeworth knew he was expecting neither a client nor another lawyer. Was this not work-related? The sound of the knock was not immediately recognizable. If it had been Detective Gumshoe, or even Kay, the door would have loudly burst open by now. He put down his drink on a side table and moved towards the entrance to his office, turning the hard wooden knob to reveal the mysterious visitor.

Indeed, a very unexpected visitor. In front of him stood a well-built, mature, yet small brown-haired woman clutching a wet slim black umbrella, a stern yet melancholic expression in her deep greyish green eyes. She was certainly heading towards her forties, but Miles still saw in her, right from the moment he opened the door, and stood frozen when meeting her gaze, the same bright mentor of his youth. With the same red muffler around her neck, he could not help superposing her fresh smiling face from ten years ago upon her now weary look.

"_Ch…Chie-chief Pro-prosecutor!" _ A confused Miles reddened from hearing his childish stuttering.

Lana Skye's lips revealed a slightly amused smile. "_I think you occupy that position now, Mr. Edgeworth. Am I correct?"_

* * *

Miles Edgeworth's office was probably the most comfortable one for visitors on the High Prosecutors' floor, its red velvet couches inviting certain scruffy detectives to take indecent naps, every nook and cranny of its spacious floor sparkling clean, fine teaware carefully installed upon expensive antique furniture, with a flowery perfuming scent spreading across the room. Most people enjoyed this luminous harmonious place, even if its owner was not always considered by all as the liveliest of companies. This time, the atmosphere seemed different from usual. With the grey rain continuing to shower upon the buildings, Edgeworth was for a short instant under the illusion that the lights in his office were dimming.

Sitting on another narrower couch, perpendicular to Miles' own, facing the door through which she had passed, Lana was sipping prudently her beverage, now and then unconsciously stirring back and forth her spoon in her cup, as if the echo of the silver touching the porcelain should fill in the distant silence between the man sitting on the edge of his seat and her. The two seemed to carefully stare at either their drink or right in front of them.

Polite remarks and concerns had been exchanged. Plain awkwardness had then settled in. Both knew that it was time to overcome these social formalities.

Edgeworth, recomposing himself to regain his natural calm demeanor, posed once again his tea, now on a coffee table that he shared with his guest. They both put their cup down at the same time. Their gazes suddenly met. Edgeworth tried not to divert too obviously his own. Lana Skye, a direct woman, cleared her throat. She was ready to make the first move.

"_You know, I was wondering when I came here whether you actually knew I had come out of jail, about a year ago. The media made quite a case about it."_

Miles finally looked up at her, his head nodding, after having uneasily readjusted his glasses. "_I did, yes. I remember not only reading it in the papers, but also seeing it once on television, that is, the moment of your release". _His grave voice grew less shaky, more assured and professional.

Lana nodded, remembering. _"From your situation, and from my own knowledge of your character, I guess I expected you to keep up with that type of news."_

She realized only after having pronounced those words what she was insinuating. The question why this meeting hadn't happened earlier was burning on her lips. Why _did_ he not contact her earlier? Why was _she _the one to have to make the first step?

But no. She could not say such a thing. She tried to stop using that mentor-ly reproachful tone that was developing with her speech: "_It was hard with such commotion to readjust to normal life, I guess. During that period, I preferred solitude; for a while, it felt easier not seeing anyone I knew._" She tried to find excuses for his behavior. She was used to blaming herself anyway.

Her somber eyes lightened up a little: _"Thankfully, Ema was there for me the whole time. She has really grown up, I have never seen her so responsible before"._

At the name of Lana's little sister, now a young talented forensics detective in LA, Edgeworth approved of this description. "_She certainly has changed, since the last time I have seen her. Only a couple of months ago, she told me she had been working on a serious murder case with police research."_ He had seen Ema recently, who had told him about her progress…as well as her reencounter with a certain man Edgeworth had not talked to in years. But this was not important.

"_I've been living with her for the moment. Let's just say that it has been difficult to return back home. I was experiencing...some issues about spying…"_ Miles saw in her expression a feeling of angst, and understood to an extent her hardships of re-adaptation with society. He knew this was a common phenomenon with people recently let out of jail. The prying of common people could be overwhelming during the first year. A case from a long time ago came to mind.

Lana felt a change in the overall mood was necessary. She paused, and examined her surroundings. "_You really know how to create an agreeable environment, Mr. Edgeworth. At least, interior decoration-wise. I mean…. Not that socially, you…Oh, I did not mean that!"_ Edgeworth, who had not caught on to the insult, gave her a perplexed look.

"_Oh, it does not matter_, reassured Lana to repair this other mistake, with a strong wish to bite her nail, _I was just complimenting your office_. _And where did you get that beautiful bouquet of freesias?"_ She was commenting on the grand batch of purple, pink and white freesias that illuminated Edgeworth's desk in a shiny blue pot, adorned with a frilly ribbon and a huge card, its message unreadable from Lana's perspective. Though Lana Skye rarely admitted it, she adored flowers. She was ready to get up to take a closer look.

Embarrassed, Edgeworth got up more rapidly and seized the pot to place it on the window sill, stammering: _"Ah! Eh, um, well, it's a-a-a a present, from ah…um…a client, yes, a client that offered it to me very genteelly, yes, very genteelly, uh… this morning!"_ He was not ready to divulge the truth about an old (very old) _connaissance_ who enjoyed sending these types of inappropriate gifts every week, the same exact day at the same exact hour. With of course, as the straw on the camel's back, the same type of obscene messages. Edgeworth quickly threw away the card into his waste basket before Lana approached the bouquet to smell its perfume. She advanced and stopped near the window sill. He stood hot and sweating. He started observing her gracefully caressing the flowers' petals, contemplating the movement of her hands. He noticed he was suddenly quite closer to her. She inwardly did equally. Time then seemed to relax itself. For a short while, at least.

Lana remarked his eyes on her. She slowly lifted her head and gave for the first time a genuine smile. Uncomfortable, Miles gave a faint one in return, taking a sudden interest in the bouquet's composition, furiously blushing. He swallowed some saliva stuck in his throat.

"_Certainly different from my own office, in my time_." Lana broke the silence. Her smile was fading. "_I kept everything very neutral, I guess; I remember sharing it with Gant's."_ At the echo of the terrible name of Lana's own mentor, Ms. Skye laughed nervously. The elephant in the room was dangerously awakening. Worry painted Edgeworth's face. The case of 10 years ago was finally breaking the surface.

"_I…"_ Lana had a hard time finishing her sentence. "_I should have been a bit more colorful, I guess"_. Her voice trailed off.

The rain's violent pouring soothed itself. Lana leaned herself against the window sill, her red muffler's reflection vivifying the obscure landscape. "_Well, someone had to mention him. One of us had to"_.

Miles turned to look at the view. The business towers' lights shone through the dark greyness. "_Ms. Skye."_ She lowered her head. "_You have not only come here to talk about the past. What is the reason for your visit?" _ Silence. A pause. Hesitation could be read on Lana's face.

Out of nowhere, the door flung open. Both Ms. Skye and Edgeworth jumped, turned their heads in synchronization, to greet a huffing and puffing acquaintance in his infamous dirty green old overcoat and with his usual clumsy mannerisms, waving flimsily what seemed to be a heavy file, bits of sheets looking like they were about to fall out any minute from its folder.

"_De-de…Detective Gumshoe!"_ Edgeworth would have recognized his investigation partner from miles away, even in one of the most crowded airports of LA. The stench was already one easy clue.

"_Hey, Mr. Edgeworth, sir!"_ Not realizing there was a visitor in the prosecutor's office, the airheaded detective leaned himself on the desk, trying to catch his breath while explaining his sudden interruption, still waving about his messy file. "_Sorry for coming like this, Mr. Edgeworth, I know you keep telling me to call you before dropping by like this, and you get all angry when I don't, but it's really urgent, sir! It's about that case of…Oh!"_ He paused, finally understanding why the lawyer was giving him a dark look. "_I'm so sorry, Mr. Edgeworth, I didn't see your guest here!"_

The prosecutor sighed, ready to apologize about his colleague's behavior, but Lana Skye shook her head. "_Do not worry, Detective Gumshoe. I do not know if you remember me, from about eight years ago?"_ Edgeworth did not expect his coworker to recollect, though surprisingly, the detective did not seem to need any help to jog his memory. "_Oh. Wait. I do know you from somewhere…Wait a second. Aren't you a relative of Ema Skye, the young one down in forensics? You're like, pretty much alike, pal! W-wait! You're…Lana Skye, aren't you? Yeah, from eight years ago, I see now! You were accused of…"_ Edgeworth cut in: "_Um, yes, this is indeed Lana Skye, my old mentor from when I used to be in my twenties. She was…present at one of my trials with…well, during that murder case that bought up the SL-9 Incident."_

Detective Gumshoe first seemed puzzled, until his face lightened up. He'd understood. He nodded. Detective Gumshoe could have been described as a careless person, but certainly not as an insensitive one. "_Yeah, I remember now! Wow! It's good to see you back, pal! Makes me feel nostalgic… Old times and all that." _Lana Skye seemed relieved at this statement. "_Thank you, Detective, for your concern. All these memories, it really does feel like long ago."_

Detective Gumshoe did not quite seem to know what to add next. Lana Skye perceived his uneasiness. "_Well, I will not bother Mr. Edgeworth any longer. I see you have an important issue to discuss with him, I should not interrupt."_ She'd uncrossed her legs and was heading towards the door. She aimed for her umbrella near the entrance, preparing herself to leave.

Edgeworth seemed to want to respond to this, but Lana raised her hand. "_No, Mr. Edgeworth, it is no matter."_ The prosecutor insisted: "_Mrs. Skye, at least let me contact you again to arrange another meeting. I would like to continue this conversation. "_ Detective Gumshoe gave him a surprised and almost laughing grin. Red in the face, Mr. Edgeworth tried to show less enthusiasm in his voice: "_Um, well, I mean…I am interested in the reason for you coming here today, after all". _

Lana still seemed to hesitate, but decided in the end to admit part of the truth. "_Oh well, why not just tell you?_ _I actually was coming to see you to ask if you could arrange a meeting for me with Detective Gumshoe at the police station. I see I do not need to anymore."_ Now both the prosecutor and his partner raised their eyebrows.

Noticing their wide-open eyes, Lana added: "_It is concerning a job opportunity. I will not go into too much detail, but I was hoping I could discuss it with Detective Gumshoe alone, for a lunch or something, to see if there is any type of opening at the station."_ She gave a nervous laugh, and looked down. "_I could have asked Ema, I guess, but I did honestly wish to see you once again face to face. As the Detective said in his own words, it has been a long time"._

After the Detective gave her his contact details to arrange this meeting, Edgeworth couldn't bring himself to find an excuse for her to stay any longer. He posed his eyes on the new mass of paperwork that awaited him. Detective Gumshoe was still standing there, waiting around too, waving imaginary flies around him. Edgeworth sighed in resignation, and put out his hand. They exchanged in a colder, more respectable manner their goodbyes. She took her dry umbrella and left.

"_Well, pal, didn't expect to see her, of all people. I especially didn't expect her to see ME for THAT reason"._ Edgeworth, returning sluggishly back to his desk, acquiesced. His pal continued eagerly:_ "You certainly didn't seem to either, Mr. Edgeworth! You were all confused there pal, all blushing and sweaty, like when you don't know what to say anymore in court in front of the defen-"_ Before Gumshoe could add anything else, Edgeworth, easily susceptible, again red in the face, ordered for the hundredth time his dear friend to _"kindly"_ hold his tongue if he did not wish for another "_friendly"_ salary cut.

After protesting and wailing for the hundredth time about how "_unfair"_ this treatment was, the detective nevertheless added in a more serious tone: "_But you know, Mr. Edgeworth, I do feel bad for her. I now remember getting last month, or some time like that, complaints coming from her sister's address about harassment. Like spying, or prosecution from the neighbors. Scary stuff, sir, threatening messages, prank calls, hate mail..."_ "_I think you mean PER-secution, Detective",_ corrected Edgeworth, reflecting on this revealing of the true nature of Lana's difficulties. He had not grasped in the first place the gravity of the dangers that were confronting her. He suddenly wished she had confessed to him in more detail about such problems. He suddenly regretted not having visited her during the year. Not having effectuated the first step. Bitterness and frustration followed him for the rest of the evening. Almost impossible to concentrate on, to _not_ lose focus of these facts and numbers that now seemed transparent, that for once just seemed to slip away from his mind…

His last image of her was a face with mixed emotions: a certain sense of relief, covering a profoundly marked feeling of sorrow in those deep grayish green eyes. Beautiful and sad at the same time. This was his last impression of her on that day. Detective Gumshoe's excessive chattering did not seem to make him forget the traces of grief that she had left wandering in his office, not yet completely evaporated. Even after his colleague had left, did he still see in his own reflection in the window, washed by the drops of rain, those piercing eyes of hers. Even in his apartment bed, contemplating his high concrete ceiling, did he still remain captivated by this strange sensation of heaviness she had created in him. A strong sentiment impossible to shake off.


	2. Chapter 2: Four Red Flames for Rebirth

_Chapter 2: Four Red Flames for Rebirth_

Days. Weeks. Months had passed. Edgeworth had not heard any news from her directly since that unexpected visit. Lana Skye had disappeared once again from his life. Not from his mind though. Remains of that evening sometimes preoccupied him during his few moments of repose and solitude. But he tried to ignore it. He was not ready yet. He still had to push it back. Push back that ugly flow of past events that would occasionally rush through his head, again and again. A daily struggle that seemed like it would never last, a continuous battle that pursued him forever, since the beginning of it all…

Detective Gumshoe reported twice to him about her application to enter again in the police force. Apparently, she'd decided to abandon law. She was now determined to start everything from the beginning. She wanted a renewal. A turnabout, in a certain sense. Edgeworth, when hearing from his friend about her movements, tried to shrug it off, pretending it did not affect him. But the detective could easily perceive his real concerns about her. Not that Gumshoe was particularly insightful. It was more that Edgeworth often could not hide his true emotions. Finally, the detective decided not to push the matter any further and to leave the prosecutor alone, as Miles ended up not questioning him anymore about her actions.

The weather had frozen. The streets were still from the first piles of snow on the pavements, yet alive from the illuminations of the glowing decorations on the shops, which were put up to celebrate the beginning of the winter festivities. Edgeworth was not a man who largely enjoyed celebrations, or who was easily caught in by all the holiday activities. He could not exactly understand its importance, the excitement behind it, the so-called "Christmas spirit" everyone chattered about during that period. After all, his past life had not given him the chance to share such joy with a "real" family…

He preferred profiting from his vacation, one of the little times he had to take a break from work, by staying comfortably at home with Pesu, both taking pleasure in tasty English delicatessen, warm beverages, and of course, one of the only truly enjoyable elements about the holidays, the extra-special Christmas episodes of the Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo show. If Edgeworth seemed to lead a severe lifestyle, one of the rare frivolities he enjoyed was indeed this artistic masterpiece of a story, recounting the epic tale of a glorious hero, accompanied by the Pink Princess and the Iron Infant, eternally enraptured in a fight against the Evil Magistrate. Yes, really, the sole series on television worthy enough to receive the Chief State Prosecutor's attention.

It was on one of those slow nostalgic December afternoons, when he was quietly observing the orange haze coloring the dreary slush on the roads, the pink clouds looking like they were going to rest in the skies until the end of time, that his front doorbell rang.

Pesu inquisitively turned her head towards the front door. Caught off guard, Edgeworth equally turned his towards the entrance, then towards his dog, then towards the clock on top of his refrigerator. His show had not started yet. Pesu did not seem to move from her seat near the peg table: she was patiently waiting for him. Still slightly dizzy from his dreamlike state in front of the window, Miles clumsily got up, almost knocking down his chair. Surprised, Pesu jumped a little. She then followed her master down the hall to greet the visitor, and sat down in front of the doorway, waiting for Miles to let the stranger in.

The door opened. Pesu smelled something. Not a completely unfamiliar, but certainly not an easily recognizable scent. One that appeared to come from a long time ago. But the person's odor was almost hidden, masked by a strange smell of burning that irritated the collie's nostrils.

Two unstable black heels. A pair of trembling legs. Hurriedness and distress in the human's voice, a female one. Couple of noisy crumpling plastic bags hanged upon one large suitcase. A shaking grip on the luggage's handle, desperately trying to reaffirm itself. Miles Edgeworth stood still once again, completely shocked when finding his old mentor a second time in front of him without any warning. Only now, she was in the corridor of his apartment building.

So taken aback was Edgeworth that this time, he did not even have the courage to utter a word. Mrs. Skye talked first, immediately wishing to explain the reason for her sudden arrival.

"_M-Mr. Edgeworth"_, she voiced in a tone as shaky as her body, "_I…I'm sorry, I…I didn't have…"_ She paused, trying to stabilize herself,"_ I didn't have your telephone number. I-I lost it. I-I went first to your office, stupidly of course, as it is the holidays and all, I only realized when you weren't responding, so many things were going on in my head, I-I guess I got confused, and-and then I went to see the security guard, and she told me wher- I-I mean, what your address was, I was really so confused, I-I guess she just took pity in me, an-and an-anyway, I took the bus with the little money I had left, and…"_

Edgeworth, not exactly unruffled either, interrupted her: _"Mr-Mrs Skye, please calm down, you are talking very fast, and I do not exactly understand where you are going with this."_ She sighed, paused again to catch her breath, and told him: "_Mr. Edgeworth, I…I have no place to go."_ Her lips quivered. She bit her lower lip, inhaled again to calm herself down, and tightened her grip around her suitcase: "_It's burned. All of it. It's all burned down."_

* * *

About an hour later, Lana Skye was half asleep on Edgeworth's living room couch. She'd been petting Pesu, stroking the collie's fur, murmuring something about how she resembled a miniature Lassie before gently closing her eyes, slowly inhaling and exhaling, loosening the fingers of her hand to rest a while.

Edgeworth could see it. He could perceive how she was in need of some sort of comfort. As if her abandoned fingers were looking for a feeling of warmth. He stared at the palm of her left hand, like it was calling him to touch it. He felt a sudden rush to his face. Guilty, he instantly turned his back to the couch, and decided to retire to his bedroom, leaving her in the pale blue evening light that darkened his living room.

He now started to feel disoriented in his own home. Her luggage had been placed near the tallest wardrobe of his room. It felt as if she had changed the space with just that suitcase and those few plastic bags on top of it. He took his glasses off, and seated himself on his bed, sighing once more. He tried to recollect in his mind the main bits of information she had anxiously given him once seated on his couch, still trembling from her experience, with a hot mug of tea. Four Red Fruits the flavor.

She'd come home from the supermarket later than usual, as she had forgotten at the last minute to buy something. She'd quickly gone back to the store. Upon returning to the building where she was staying with Ema, she discovered that the first floor (Ema's floor) had almost been completely burned down. The fire department was there, their red trucks parked right in front of the entrance. Noise, chaos, shrieks, smoke, water. Blood rushing through her veins, frozen stiff, Lana had practically fainted when confronted with this horrible scene. So weak a picture this was of her that she didn't mention these details to Edgeworth in her narrative…

Finally allowed to go upstairs, she'd heard that it was in their apartment where the blaze had started. She'd gone in, and seen that almost all of their belongings had been deeply affected by the fire. She'd only managed to save some clothes and other possessions. The firemen's inspection had not been complete, and they could not determine yet the exact cause of the incident. Lana nevertheless confessed to Edgeworth her suspicions about the event being premeditated…

Mrs. Skye had then called her sister on her cell, trying to sound the least panicked as possible on the phone, to calmly explain the situation. "_Ema is currently on a trip abroad, for work that is, with a whole forensics team from LA. Some sort of complex investigation, something about a smuggling ring if I can recall"_, clarified Lana to Edgeworth. She'd then talked to the firemen, who told her to call someone she knew in town to stay with them for a couple of weeks.

"_I…I did not know who to turn to…_" Lana was too tired and stressed out to hide her despair. "_With Ema gone, I really have no other relatives or friends in the city anymore. I was so distressed, I just couldn't think properly at all, and, well...I only thought of your name_. _Only your name crossed my mind._" Her clasped hands pressed against her forehead, both elbows on her knees, Mrs. Skye did not look like the former cold and collected Chief Prosecutor anymore. She was obviously struggling to keep the frailty of her voice under control. She seemed to notice herself how expressive she was about her helplessness when she added: "_I really feel I've become weak. I haven't lost everything of course, let's not be melodramatic, but…I feel I've become so dependent, so needy towards other people these days. I feel ashamed coming here like this. If it weren't for these terrible circumstances, I never would have dreamt of imposing myself in such an indecent way, Mr. Edgeworth, believe me…"_

Edgeworth managed, with difficulty nonetheless, to find the right words to reassure her. "_Mrs. Skye. I understand. There is no need to worry. You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to."_

Though clearly not entirely convinced, Lana showed a more relieved expression on her face. "_I cannot thank you enough for your support, Mr. Edgeworth. This morning was such a nightmare. I've been left so disarmed. I don't even have enough cash on me for a hotel"._ She pressed her hands harder against her forehead. "_Not even enough money left. God, I need to find a job, fast!"_ Realizing she was muttering so openly to Miles Edgeworth about her problems, she stopped talking, proudly raised her head and took another sip from her tea.

Seeing how tired she was, Edgeworth proposed that she rest a while. He became aware of how nervous _he_ was, still not quite comfortable with the idea of a distressed and lonely woman staying overnight in his home. And it had to be, of all women, his former mentor, who seemed so out of character in that precise moment. Somehow, a sense of uneasiness overcame him each time she pronounced his last name in that semi-fragile tone of hers…

* * *

Night had fallen. Still deeply perplexed, Miles kept reflecting on Mrs. Skye's suspicions about the fire being premeditated, all calculated by the harassers living in her neighborhood. There would have to be investigations of course, and an intervention of the police to confirm this. Would it be considered as biased if Edgeworth should ask Detective Gumshoe to open an inquiry? Should the prosecutor interfere at all in this affair? Would it not be wounding her self-esteem if he did?

So many questions going through his head, Miles could not even appreciate the new SS: WONOT episode. The Steel Samurai was celebrating with his family the Jolly Santa Samurai's visit on the eve of Christmas, throwing shiny new spears in bright colorful packages for the little Iron Infants from the roofs of Neo Olde Tokyo under the moonlight. Normally, this kind of action would have deeply thrilled any Steel Samurai fanboy. But Edgeworth could not concentrate on his flat screen TV (specially installed in his bedroom for late broadcastings of old episodes he'd missed during working hours). The dialogues and images refused to stimulate him or help him forget his troubles.

He did not hear Lana next door. She'd stumbled while getting up from the sofa, feeling lost when waking up in such a large obscure living room. Miles' apartment was quite spacious, as it belonged to a building in one of the city's most expensive residential areas. Uneasy in this unknown luxurious place, Lana apprehensively wandered in the room to find the main light switch, or some kind of lamp to turn on. She suddenly saw a light coming from the left side of the hall. She walked towards it. She heard strange noises as well from that direction. She found a door slightly ajar. She assumed it to be an office, the noise maybe being a tape Edgeworth was working with for some case or another. It did not enter Lana Skye's mind that Miles Edgeworth would watch television for leisure…in his boudoir of all places…

It came to a shock for both of them when she quietly opened the door, revealing one of the lawyer's most outrageous secrets (from his own viewpoint, at least).

"_O-O-OH! Uh-uh-uh-uuuuh, M—mada-mrs-mrs Mrs Skye!"_ Miles agitatedly jumped off his seat, wrongly readjusted his glasses, and frantically searched the covers for his remote control, in vain, as it had fallen off the bed with the entire ruckus.

"_Oh God, Mr. Edgeworth!"_ Lana quickly looked away. "_I am so sorry, I really didn't mean to interrupt you while you were watching…watching…"_ Not knowing at all what the prosecutor was looking at, Lana turned red in the face. He wasn't actually….No…He could NOT be watching…

She felt a considerable sense of relief when seeing the live-action show still colorfully continuing on the screen. She then remembered something. While a fretful Edgeworth continued to search for his lost remote control, she exclaimed:"_Why of course! I had completely forgotten! You are a Steel Samurai fan, aren't you? Now I remember."_ Edgeworth stopped searching. He stopped to think. How could she...? How could she have known that in the first place? All of a sudden, a memory from the past came rushing through his head.

**2015. Los Angeles' main police station. **

Proudly walking down the hall, a 23-year-old Miles Edgeworth, already nicknamed the "Demon Attorney" and considered as the "Prodigy Prosecutor" among his colleagues, was consulting once more his documents he'd taken out from his briefcase. He stopped at the door with the nameplate written on it: "_Lana Skye: Police Detective"_ and knocked. He heard her soft voice on the other side telling him to please wait a moment. He sat on a chair nearby, trying to calm himself down. He kept thinking how unusual it was for someone like him to have itchy feet…

A few nervously elapsed minutes later, the door opened, and a tall bearded heavy-built white-haired man with a smiling face in a flamboyant suit came out, shaking the hand of the woman who followed him. The man then noticed Edgeworth, who gracefully bowed to him, respectfully greeting him. The Chief of Police laughed in return, gave him a hard slap on the shoulder, telling him he'd be glad to see him_ "…another time, Worthy!"_ The man then whispered something in Mrs. Skye's ear, and left. Mrs. Skye, a little perplexed from the previous visit, shook her head, then smiled at Miles: "_Hello, Mr. Edgeworth. I was expecting you. Please come in and make yourself comfortable."_

His shoulder still aching, Miles carefully sat down in the seat Mrs. Skye had so kindly asked him to take. With her typical sunny expression, she sat down in her own chair, briskly cleared up her desk from her files, and looked up to him with her deep bright eyes, thus indicating he could speak.

Miles had learned by now to stand up for himself in front of other professionals, who sometimes persisted in seeing him as a child. But with Detective Skye, he could not help being so childishly nervous around her, trying desperately to avoid her gaze, constantly rubbing his sweaty palms on anything he touched, breathing the whole time a bit too heavily, stuttering in the most ridiculous fashion…It was a struggle to remain collected in front of her. The worst was that it was not a particularly painful struggle. There was something agreeable about the whole experience afterwards, but he could not grasp where this strange sensation came from. This fact only made Miles even more unconfident, thinking how completely illogical his whole behavior was.

Nevertheless, he knew that she always treated him with great respect: every time they would see each other, she would carefully listen to his thoughts on the matter at hand, and seriously consider his reflections on the case they were working on. This time again, she was attentively reading the last notes he had written down about the closure of the SL-9 Incident.

While she was doing this, Miles managed to utter with great effort, concentrating on a specific dot on the wall of her office while talking: "_Um, Detective Skye. My…well…"_ He paused, nervously scratching his head. Oh, what an idiot he was! He could not even speak correctly in front of her anymore! He tried again. _"Mr. Von Karma has told me you have been designated as the next Chief Prosecutor. I-I wished to congralutate…I mean, to congratulate you."_

She looked up from the file. He knew how impolite he was by not making eye contact. He took the risk. He met her gaze. His face then grew a very dark shade of crimson.

She smiled. _"Then you've probably heard the other news. That from the moment I become Chief Prosecutor, I will equally become your mentor."_ She carefully put the file on her desk. "_Mr. Von Karma has indeed discussed this many times with Mr. Gant, who you've just run into. They've both agreed it would be a good idea. But your opinion is the most important thing, Mr. Edgeworth. Do YOU think this is a judicious decision?"_ She waited for his answer, her eyes smiling.

Mr. Edgeworth felt a vivid sense of burning inside his stomach. He was touched by the fact she was asking for his personal view on the situation to be able to make a decision. With Mr. Von Karma, he would have had to accept anything because, well, there was no _because_. This was simply his duty towards his mentor: he had to obey his orders. But this time, his own thoughts were actually valuable…

Did he want her as a mentor? Some flame inside him seemed to have been lightened up when she asked him the question. But he pushed it back. He tried to turn it off. He had to. He could not think such things. He should not actually _want_, or _desire_ anything. He continued nonetheless to imagine her as his tutor in a distant future. A future where she would be his guide. He already knew he could trust her completely. She was one of the few people in the world he was ready to wholly rely on.

She was certainly different from the "King of Prosecutors". She was evidently bright, incredibly intelligent and powerful, and yet, she emanated a feeling of gentleness, of softness that Miles had never seen in anyone else before. She looked after him in a way that was completely different from anyone else's way of dealing with him.

He was ready to come up with a more contained answer when, out of nowhere, he let his briefcase fall from his lap. Every single file slipped out of it. All of his papers fell on the floor. Every sheet mixed itself with another. "_Oh!"_ Miles, now completely frazzled, could only let out this interjection.

She rapidly got up from her chair. Leaning towards him, she crouched down like him to help him pick up his documents. "_Oh dear, Mr. Edgeworth! Here, let me help you!"_ Miles, breathing hurriedly, his sight blurring, ashamed she had to assist him and bend down to the same level as him, hastily placed every paper back in its respective file, a little less methodically than he usually did.

And then, it happened. He saw it on the floor. He was ready to seize it, but too late. Dread drowning his senses, he saw her take it. She could have just put it back in the case, but no. She hesitated. She'd noticed. She curiously started examining its cover, opening it to the first page. He, however, had iced up by now. A terrible pause.

"_You…read the Steel Samurai comics, Mr. Edgeworth?"_

Miles closed his eyes. No. No. No. This could_ not _be happening. Of every misadventure that could have occurred in that moment…He opened his eyes again. He had to confront her with the truth. What else was he going to do? "_Y-yes, as a matter of fact, I do."_

She continued. "_Yes, I know this series. It's a live-action show too, isn't it? I think my little sister Ema watches it". _She'd, voluntarily or not, insisted on the term "little". Miles uncomfortably leaned himself against the table to be able to stand up properly. "_Yes, umm…I believe it to be a…_(Oh God, how was he going to complete that sentence?)_…a very…family-friendly show, and um…it has a very…enthralling story, you see."_

She laughed. Oh Goodness. Was she making fun of him? "_That is basically how my sister describes it. I've never really sat down with her and watched it, though. What is it that makes it so entertaining?"_

Relieved her laughter wasn't mocking, Miles relaxed his body, and answered by explaining why he found it so captivating: _"Well, first of all, it is incredibly well-written. The characters are very well constructed. The protagonist is a lonesome hero who fights until the end with incredible bravery against all obstacles. Though he sometimes questions his actions, he keeps his uncertainties to himself, and still proudly follows his destined journey until the end."_ After he finished, there seemed to be an awkward silence. He uneasily cleared his throat.

"_I…can see why you would like it. Yes. It suits you, doesn't it? ",_ Lana softly said. She noticed from Miles' expression he did not know how to respond to that. She eased the mood and laughed again. Seeing her this way, he felt more tranquil. He'd noticed with the end of the SL-9 Incident she'd changed somehow. Something inside her had been disturbed. She was still smiling, laughing, making jokes, but it was in some way less natural than before. But now, in that very instant, she was laughing with a true smile…

The idea of her becoming distant made him shudder. He had not wanted to admit it, even to himself, but the first time Mr. Von Karma had told him she would become Chief Prosecutor after the SL-9 case, he'd been frightened. He was scared someway she would be lost to him. Again, another person that would slip away from him. But now, as his mentor, she would be close. Even better: closer than before.

He did not want to deceive her. He surprised her when putting out his hand and announcing in a very mature voice: "_Mrs. Skye. I do not want to be a burden on you. But I thank you wholeheartedly for accepting me as your protégé. After all, I am now entirely in your debt."_

**2025. Miles Edgeworth's apartment. **

They did not speak. He was still sitting on the bed. She was still standing next to the door. Even though they weren't communicating, they both understood. They knew they were both remembering the same scene.

She opened her mouth, and let out a small sound, a timid mutter. He turned to look at her, but she shook her head in a "_it's nothing important"_ way. He stiffly got up, his lower body numb. He walked towards her, aiming for the doorway. She misunderstood, believing he hoped to talk further. She shook her head again, and raised her hand, wanting to speak first. "_Mr. Edgeworth." _ His head made a brisk movement. He stood still. He gravely folded his arms, and looked at her with his piercing grey eyes, as if questioning her. Edgeworth could sometimes, in a conversation, unwillingly give a cold impression to the person he was speaking with. Lana Skye however was not taken aback.

She continued in a neutral, yet strained, tone of voice: "_I do not wish to disturb you any_ _further_." She closed her eyes, re-opened them. _"You've already been so generous by accepting me here. I will try to make myself as discreet as possible."_ Unconsciously, she added: "_After all, I am now entirely in your debt."_

* * *

**Hey everyone! **

**I'm so sorry about the typos that were here the first time I uploaded this chapter. Hopefully, I've corrected all of them. Even when I re-read a 100 times, there are still some errors that escape me. Oh dear...**

**I want to thank everyone who has been following this story, it really means a lot. I should be able to upload a chapter every 2 weeks for the coming months now. Thanks again!**


	3. Chapter 3: Winter Spice of Deception

_Chapter 3: Winter Spice of Deception_

Ema would be gone for Christmas. Maybe even for New Year's. She told Lana on the phone she still didn't have any definite idea when she would be able to come back. Her older sister responded by saying she should not worry, that everything was under control. Ema did not say anything else, though she doubted, from hearing Lana's tone of voice, whether her sister really was capable of handling such a dire situation. After hanging up, she silently prayed Miles Edgeworth would take good care of her. But somehow, she already knew deep down he would.

The prosecutor certainly didn't feel like he had that kind of power to help Lana. A week had slowly passed by, and it seemed that the awkward tension between them kept rising with each day. It was absurd how Edgeworth felt like he was a stranger in his own apartment, even if she was absent most of the time. She would either go outside or isolate herself in the guest room he'd prepared for her; he knew she was doing it so she wouldn't disturb him. But he couldn't help feeling responsible for the fact this gap was being created between them. Nonetheless, even the rare times he'd find her alone in the living room, he would reluctantly leave without being noticed, or return to the kitchen or to his office. Only Pesu felt comfortable around Lana, who obviously appreciated her company, stroking her and sometimes giving her a treat. It was as if the dog was Edgeworth's messenger, comforting Lana the way he would have wanted to reassure her.

On the morning of the 24th of December, Edgeworth was carefully watching his kettle boil. She'd gone out early to the police station that had called her about the fire inspection. Her doubts had been confirmed. Something had been planned all along. Someone was out to get her. When she heard about this news the night before, Lana pretended the rest of the evening she was not worried about her personal safety. Of course, the prosecutor could not entirely believe this indifference to be her true state of mind…

The hot water suddenly started hissing. Edgeworth stopped the whistling sound, turning off the kettle. He frowned. She really _should_ be more concerned about herself: she ought to be more cautious, to be more aware, and to look out for any potential danger if these attacks persisted. He started to worry. Now that she was in his home, was it not his duty to protect her?

Twinings' Winter Spice chamomile tea warmed his throat up. He could strongly sense the burning cinnamon taste in his palate. Relaxing his stiff muscles on his lounge chair, he could feel the warmth penetrating his entire body. He thought.

He then heard her footsteps in the hallway. He heard her putting the spare key through the lock. He put his cup down, straightened himself up. The entrance door opened. Pesu ran to greet her. He arrived while she was still struggling to take the key out. Seeing Pesu, she bent down to pet her. Upon noticing Edgeworth, she stood up straight again.

"_Oh, good morning, Mr. Edgeworth!"_ She took the key out, then pulled back a strand of hair blocking her face, placing it around her ear. "_It certainly is very cold outside. It snowed overnight I think. There are some fresh batches of snow right in front of the building"_. As if to prove her point, she took off her wet heels covered with small piles of slush. Pesu suspiciously sniffed one of her shoes, curiously touching with her paw the dripping ice.

"_Mrs. Skye!"_ She jumped. Edgeworth caught his breath. He really should know how to keep the level of his voice under control. He tried to think of something. He could not _impose_ anything upon her. But he felt a fiery need inside him to take some kind of initiative. He had to come up with _something_ to end this gap between them. "_Um…I'll need to go shopping this afternoon for the week, and um, a lot needs to be bought actually so, um…maybe you could accompany me, Mrs. Skye?"_

Lana raised her eyebrows. She could smell something was up. She had not had a long detective career for nothing. "_You need to go shopping today, of all days?"_

He had not thought of that. "_Um, well I know of a store that should still be open on such an occasion. And tomorrow I will not be able to. I should have gone earlier, but I was a bit careless. Could you come and assist me? Please?"_ Edgeworth felt like a pleading child. The way he was trying to come up with these sad excuses did feel a bit ridiculous. But Lana smiled, responding that of course she was ready to give him a helping hand.

Darkness had already appeared in the wintry skies when Edgeworth and Lana were still strolling around in the British supermarket, crowded with other people hurriedly seizing anything they could find with written "_Festive"_ or "_Xmas" _in big letters for their evening supper. Edgeworth checked his watch. Only 5pm. Because of the winter season, night was now rapidly settling in, intensifying the obscurity in the streets that had already been created by the snowy clouds.

They were in the meat section, trying to avoid the huge wave of late buyers nearby grabbing the remaining turkeys from the shelves. Lana was attentively reading the information on the back of one of the meat packages that had been printed in very small typing. Edgeworth believed the moment to be suitable to ask her about her morning. She hadn't said a word about it the whole day.

"_Well Mrs. Skye, how did your…well, what is the situation now with your sister's apartment?"_

Lana continued to read her package. But, without noticing, she started applying pressure on her thumb, which started to sink into the meat's plastic cover, as if she was clasping it. She honestly did not want to talk about it. It was selfish, of course. Of all people, Mr. Edgeworth, who had done so much for her, deserved to know. She _owed_ him an explanation. In the end, it was because of all this mess that she had to intrude this way into his life. Again.

She sighed. "_I will not bore you with the details, Mr. Edgeworth. They did keep me for a long time there. I had to fill in many administrative papers, naturally."_ She paused, fiddled with the meat package some more, pretending she was still trying to decipher the tiny words on the back.

"_I told them. About my previous issues. They responded they'd look into it. I could hear from their way of saying that they obviously had not paid much attention to my complaints in the past_, she bitterly added, _but in any case, they did inform me that some kind of powerful lighter had been used to start the fire. So, there really is no room for doubt." _

Edgeworth, in the same lawyerly way as he dealt with his clients, nodded. He was about to ask what other kind of precisions they'd given her, when she abruptly placed the package in their shopping basket, then asked him if he needed anything else, and if not whether they should go to the cash register. Caught off guard by her sharpness, he decided to keep his questions for himself.

Outside, the low grey skies seemed menacing, as if a snowstorm was to occur any minute then. Thankfully, the bright lamp lights and the festive string lights illuminated the streets and shops.

Lana, holding two shopping bags in one hand, was wearily observing the passing window displays and showcases. She would have appeared to be a wandering shadow if it were not for her vivid red muffler around her neck, almost brighter than the displayed objects in the stores, which confirmed her presence in the agitated bustling crowd. It was as if her silhouette was slowly fading away…

Edgeworth was trying to catch up to her in the snow, his tailor shoes being considerably inadequate for such intense weather conditions. When she noticed something was wrong with the way he was walking, Lana stopped underneath a lamppost. Its glow lightened up both their dark shapes in the blackness of the evening. She waited for him.

"_I am so sorry for the inconvenience, Mrs. Skye! I just can't handle all this …nghooh!"_ Edgeworth, having put his own bags down on a lump of snow, leaned against the lamppost to take off one of his shoes that had been soaked with slush, struggling to stay stable while standing on one leg. Lana repressed the urge to laugh. She proposed to hold his arm to help him, but upon touching him, he urgently jumped and hopped to the other side of the streetlamp. "_Ah! Really, no, please, Mrs. Skye, there is no need, it's very courteous of you, but really there is no need, you see!" _He wished to show that he was capable of handling it all alone, but he almost slipped on a pile of ice, his socked foot confusedly wobbling in the air."_Oh, be careful, to your left there!"_ Edgeworth hugged the lamppost as if his life depended on it. Lana had to bite her tongue to avoid laughing:_ "Alright, Mr. Edgeworth. I'll stay put. But don't hesitate to ask if you need any help". _

She looked up towards the clouds. Little white flakes were falling down. Upon sighing, the foggy air she'd exhaled seemed like a tiny cloud compared to the ones looming over them. She knew she had to change her behavior, and stop being so dry and rude to him upon such a night.

"_Well! Mr. Edgeworth, I am obviously not the most joyful of companies for this evening. I do apologize for that _(nervous laughter). _Although, I must admit, you do not strike me as the type of person who profusely participates in these types of celebrations…"_ Edgeworth wished to respond, but could only emit a grunt from not being able to fit his foot in his shoe properly.

"_Well, I don't want you to be offended! It's just that I can understand. After the death of our parents, during the first years, I usually wasn't up for celebrations and all that….I didn't have the will to be cheerful about it anymore. It's only on one Christmas Eve, a couple of years after the accident, that Ema had suddenly decided, out of nowhere, to sit in the front entrance of our hall, the whole evening, and cry and cry and cry. She couldn't talk at first. I tried to ask her what exactly was happening, but she could only cry. It was impossible for her to stop." _

She stopped to breathe. "_I finally got it out of her. A tree. That's all she wanted. A tree. Just a little tree, you know, like the plastic ones that are already all decorated when you buy them in the store. And that's when I understood. I had been selfish. I had forgotten about her. What she might have felt after everything had been taken away from her. She was going to lose Christmas as well. And then I knew: I had to…replace our parents somehow. For her sake. Anything I proposed was fine. It just had to be something we could do together. Simple things. Light up some candles. Prepare some egg yolk, candies or gingerbread men. Then eat everything up like a couple of messy piglets while watching TV, the same old holiday classics over and over again…And since then, we've been celebrating Christmas just the two of us, together. Yes, together..."_

The last word gravely echoed in the darkness, as Lana realized that this was not the case this year. Edgeworth had carefully listened to her words. It wasn't only the cold breeze that was creating this chilly aching sensation in his body. He hadn't felt this way in a long time. But he didn't pity her. He empathized. "_I…" _He absolutely wanted, _needed_ to say something to her, to that distant pale figure sadly leaving the light of the street lamp, as if she would be lost to him if he didn't do anything. But she turned around, displaying a morose expression upon her face, her features glowing under the artificial illuminations: "_Should we not move on, Mr. Edgeworth?"_

They continued their path in the snow. He was still walking behind her, carefully stepping in her trail of footprints. He could solely hear the sound of the wind, barely the soft falling of the snowflakes on the ground, until he perceived a gentle singing voice close by. He then became aware that the singing was coming from the person in front of him.

"_City lights, pretty lights, just wear me out they say"_, Lana hummed. The wind suddenly became stronger. Her muffler started waving from the breeze. The movement caught Edgeworth's attention. The intense shade of red captivated him. And then it all came back to him. The snow, the sense of cold, that horrid feeling of pain…That red color. He remembered.

**24****th**** of December 2015. The outside front parking lot of LA's main police station.**

Miles was waiting. He didn't care if every single limb of his body would freeze in this abject weather, he would stay put. The police officer he'd talked to earlier at the entrance was still pacing back and forth in the corridor, sometimes nervously looking outside at the pathetic scene of the young man in the black overcoat, his jacket almost white from the blizzard. The scene made the police officer shiver. He much preferred staying inside with his warm cup of coffee.

Miles could sense the man insolently gawking at him suffering. But it did not matter. If Detective Skye was to come back soon from her inquiry, as the police officer had told him when he arrived forty minutes ago, it was worthwhile. He'll wait for her.

It was outrageous, of course. If Mr. Von Karma would see him, or even worse, know the reason for this spontaneous visit, Miles wondered whether the prosecutor would mock him or accuse him of indecency. But he _had _to. He wanted to thank her properly for everything she had done, and for everything she would do in the future as his new mentor. Tonight was almost ideal. He had no idea where she lived; the only place he could think of was her office at the police station…which she would have to leave after the holidays because of her new position. He felt lucky when the police officer told him she was still going to quickly come back this evening to fetch some belongings.

It was a spur-of-the-moment-idea. He'd seen it in a shopping area, in a display window, and he knew from the minute he'd laid his eyes on it that it would be the _perfect _gift for her. He thought the whole act would feel unnatural. He'd never done something like this before for Christmas. The great Gregory Edgeworth rarely had the time in the past to celebrate these occasions with his son. And now, Mr. Von Karma certainly wasn't going to start decorating a fir-tree with Franziska in their holiday house in Germany: after all, there was no reason to celebrate what was only a commercial holiday. But in the end, this wasn't strange. This felt right.

A medium-sized slender beige car, its roof covered with piles of snow, came into the parking lot. Its shining headlights pierced through the blurry snowstorm. Miles advanced towards it, his blood rushing through his veins. She got out with some difficulty, blinded by the blizzard. She almost didn't notice him when heading towards the entrance.

"_Mr-Mr. Edgeworth? Is that you?"_ It was almost impossible to see anything at all.

"_Yes, Detective Skye! It is I! I-I came to see you!" _He went underneath a kind of porch where a little roof could protect them from the weather. She joined him. Just as they found themselves reunited, the wind became less violent. The huge piles of snow gradually started to turn into delicate snowflakes.

"_Mr. Edgeworth!_" Lana couldn't hide her surprise. Breathing rapidly, several clouds of vapor were being exhaled at once from her shivering lips. "_Well, this is unexpected! What are you…? Have you been waiting long?!"_ She wanted to propose to go inside, but he seemed determined to speak first.

Miles responded to her question by shaking his head. He didn't want her to know. She didn't have to. Embarrassed, he just wanted give her what he had to offer and quickly leave. "_No, no no no! Do not worry about such a thing, Mrs. Skye! Here!"_ He abruptly handed the white box with a golden bow wrapped around it over to her, hanging his head as in shame to avoid eye contact.

Stunned, Lana could not figure out what to say. Perceiving the awkward silence between them, a blushing Miles explained: "_Um, it is to thank you. For-for everything. You have been so…Well, I can't thank you enough for assisting me with the case. And now that you have accepted me as your mentee, I…"_ He couldn't finish his sentence. He hesitantly looked up to find out whether her reaction was negative or not.

She was still standing there silently. He saw a sudden expression of regret, almost like a feeling of guilt, appearing on her face for an instant. But then, it passed, and she smiled with her usual bright smile, her eyes dazzling. "_Oh, Mr. Edgeworth…You really shouldn't have…This is so…Oh!" _She couldn't help letting out a sharp sound upon opening the gift. She'd discovered what had been carefully wrapped up inside. The accessory's shining crimson shade stood out from the whiteness of the box.

"_Oh! Mr. Edgeworth! I..I don't even have words for this! It's beautiful! It's exquisite! Oh!" _

"Oh _no, really Detective Skye, it is just the nat-"_:Miles didn't even have the time to finish, as she had flung her arms around him. In a second, his whole body grew tense. He'd never stiffened up so much in his life before. He felt he was about to turn into ice. And yet, at the same time, he felt like his whole being was about to melt entirely. A thousand jumbled ideas went through his mind in a flash, a rapid rush of blood jolted to his head. He looked up towards the blurry night sky, wondering whether the scenery was naturally hazy, or whether it was his own sight that had gone wrong. He was so close to her, so close to her soft hair still slightly wet from the snow. He could sense her whole body pressing into his, so close she was that it was too much for him to control his confused senses.

The embrace lasted a short while, yet its impact was intense. After Lana ended the hug, he remained as stiff as an icicle. She immediately took the scarf out of its box, still admiringly contemplating it, and wrapped it around her neck. When she finished putting it on, Miles slowly returned to his normal state. It fit perfectly.

"_Oh! Mr. Edgeworth!"_ She laughed. "_I can't believe this! This is so sweet of you!"_ Miles' face became the same color as her present. "_Oh, I need to make this up to you! I should take you out somewhere! I'm guessing tonight isn't possible, of course!"_ She laughed again. Miles wanted to speak up, but then he understood she was probably going to celebrate Christmas Eve with her sister anyway.

"_Well, there is no need for you to make so much effort for someone like me, Detective Skye. It was the natural thing to do_ (if only she knew how new this really was for him)_"._ Mrs. Skye shook her head. "_No, no, I really should. I mean, tomorrow isn't possible either. Again, you are probably busy as well."_ Miles decided to tell her: "_Um…not exactly. But, if you are to celebrate with your family, I will not…"_

He was cut off: "_Actually, it's not with Ema I will be with tomorrow."_ She suddenly blushed. Her cheeks and nose were already red from being in the cold too long. Miles did not expect this change in her. He had never seen her so self-conscious before. "_I, oh, this is a bit embarrassing, really…"_ She shyly tilted her head to the side. "_Oh, well, I should just tell you. We will often be seeing each other, after all. This is stupid."_ Miles tried to smile at this statement, though he was anxiously waiting for what she was going to announce him. "_I'm actually…dating Jake Marshall." _

A dramatic silence. The wind blew towards their hideout. Miles' limbs seemed to have frozen up. Deep, deep inside him, the frost journeyed through his body in just that little space of time she had pronounced that name. "_Do you not remember him? The other detective who was working with us? Neil's brother?" _

Coldly, he nodded. Of course he remembered. _That_ man. The eccentric one with the Southern accent. The one who always spoke a little bit too informally. The one who kept so irritatingly calling her "_bambina"._ Then Miles understood. "_Neil's brother"_. The one whose brother had been savagely murdered by Joe Darke. The one who now probably needed some form of comfort, which could easily come from a woman as kind and generous as his colleague.

"_Ema is going to be with some of her girlfriends tomorrow, so, I guess it was a good opportunity…"_ She continued to speak, but everything else around them became faint. Only her words stood out. They were clear. Sharp. He couldn't stand this. He wanted her speech to grow indistinct, just reduced to noises and sounds in the blur of the snow.

His bones were being shattered one by one. Oh yes. Here we go again. _That_ familiar feeling. That horrid sensation of dread was back. So many times in the past this had already happened. Terrible moments he had tried but failed to erase from his mind. Right now, he just wished he had the power to make her silent. To make it disappear altogether. Everything. The police station, the snow, the muffler, even _her_, but himself above all…He preferred to be buried deep down in the snowstorm than in the grave she had started to dig for him.

With great effort, Miles finally managed to find an excuse: he was going to Germany with the Von Karmas for two weeks. Before she left inside the building, Lana insisted: they'll be able to do it sometime, some day, she said. Miles didn't reply. He couldn't even shrug. He just stood there, even after she was gone.

"_Ah…"_ He looked up at the skies. He was cold to the bone. It didn't matter. The wind had stopped. He felt the soft snow falling on his face. His breath was heavy. It was as if he'd lost track of his respiration for a while. And then, he laughed. He felt a tingly sensation in his eyes. How ridiculous! Yes, how absolutely ridiculous! There she was! Right up there in the skies. As unattainable as those delicate snowflakes that showered upon his face… And then, he couldn't hold it back anymore. No matter how humiliating it would be, he couldn't. He lowered his head, as if to look down at the white ground on which he was standing. And he let the tears painfully roll down his cheeks…

**24****th**** of December 2025. The front of Miles Edgeworth's apartment building.**

Edgeworth passed through the revolving door at the entrance. Lana had put her bags down, standing near the hall's mailboxes. While she waited for him to find his keys, she nonchalantly examined the different compartments for each person in the building. She then noticed some big green sparkling package having been desperately squeezed in Edgeworth's slot, quite surprisingly achieved for a package that size…

"_Um? Mr. Edgeworth?" _ She pointed towards his mailbox and the mysterious gift that had been left for him.

Edgeworth, perplex in discovering the parcel, almost ripped its wrapping paper when taking it out of the mailbox's slot, even when doing so with the utmost care. The present had either been hastily packaged, or the person who had sent it apparently wasn't specialized in the art of wrapping. The green color and the bright sparkles dotted on it were particularly tacky. It's only when Edgeworth read the name on the card that he could identify the gift's source. So tired and weary he was he'd completely forgotten about this little _ritual _of hers every year. He steamed up. "_Nghoooo…"_ He hoped with all his heart this wasn't another one of her ill-knitted tawdry Christmas sweaters…

"_Mr. Edgeworth? Is something wrong? What is it?"_ Mrs. Skye worriedly eyed the suspicious item in his hands.

He sighed and tried to calm himself down. It was indecorous to turn into an infuriated beast in front of a lady. "_Oh well, you should not be concerned, Mrs. Skye, it is just a…"_ "_Yes?"_ she asked. He sighed again. Should he tell her the truth?

He assumed these types of _incidents _might happen again. He decided it was better to put it out in the open. At least this was _something _they could openly talk about tonight.

"_It is only a trifle matter, rest assured. It is completely ludicrous; there is no need to be troubled about it."_ He realized he was nervously trying to avoid the issue at hand. "_She is not a dangerous person at all, you understand. There are worst types of stalkers out there, after all, and…"_ He was cut off. "_A stalker? You have a stalker, Mr. Edgeworth?"_

"_Ah, well, you see..."_ He noticed he was just stammering the words out of his mouth. What was happening to him? He could not even formulate one proper sentence. He handed the package over to her, wishing to explain the circumstances of his relationship with Wendy Oldbag in a more composed fashion. But she fiercely seized it from him.

"_Wait, this is from the same person with the bouquet of freesias in your office, when I visited you in the fall, isn't it? I cannot believe this! Mr. Edgeworth! How careless of you! Why did you not talk to me about this earlier?! This is serious! You should warn the police about this! You of all people know how these types of situations can get out of hand!"_ He didn't have the time to respond, as she had violently thrown the package in a large waste basket placed near the mailboxes, as if it were containing a bomb.

He wished he could add something, but he was so taken aback by her brutality, he couldn't think of anything. He had never seen this side of her before. And for once, he could not come up with a logical solution. He himself felt slightly panicked when she spoke again, this time in an even more aggressive tone.

"_I cannot believe this!_" she repeated. "_This is outrageous! Since when do strangers think they have the right to intrude into other people's lives?! What has happened to our society?! Does the term 'privacy'_ _mean anything anymore?!"_

She stopped. She'd realized what she'd just done. And she felt like a complete fool. She turned her back on him. She didn't want him to see her in such a state. Oh, how utterly humiliating this was! She angrily bit her thumbnail. She could sense the glove's rubbery black leather between her teeth. She couldn't cry. Not here. Not now. She wasn't allowed to break down in Mr. Edgeworth's apartment building: it would be wrong.

Mr. Edgeworth, however, felt almost as much as a fool as she did. He had not the slightest idea what to do to calm her down. He didn't dare approach her. What a nervous child he was being! He could not even think of a way to reach out to her. The thought of touching her shoulder made his hand shake. If only he could get over his fear…

Out of nowhere, a phone rang. A ringtone set on a Beethoven orchestra. Edgeworth almost sighed in relief when seeing "_Detective Gumshoe_" indicated on his cell screen. _Sometimes_, his partner could be of use during bad times. He picked it up, but had to immediately move his phone far away from his ear when hearing the confused detective shout: "_Mr. Edgeworth! Mr. Edgeworth, sir! Come quick! You must come to your office right now, sir!"_

The prosecutor, still trying to recollect himself, asked him in the serenest tone possible: "_Detective Gumshoe? Remain calm, now! Wha-what is the matter with my office?"_ Overhearing bits of the conversation, Lana hesitantly turned her head towards him.

"_No time to explain, sir! You must come to your office right now, Mr. Edgeworth, it's urgent, sir!"_ The detective hung up. Edgeworth frowned, furrowed his eyebrows. Puzzled, he didn't know what to make of this call. He couldn't ignore it though, the detective sounded quite serious about whatever was happening in his workplace. He strongly wished this wasn't the work of that old _hag_ again.

He turned to face Lana, when suddenly an idea flashed through his head. What if? What if this was another attack from the same people who'd burned Ema's apartment? What if they'd figured out her new location, and…? He didn't stop to think. He quickly explained to Lana Detective Gumshoe's anxious call. Lana came to the same conclusion. They hastily ran to the building's parking lot for him to fetch his car. His heart beating, Edgeworth deeply hoped his suspicions hadn't become reality.

* * *

**Hello, hello, it's the author speaking! I've decided to comment a little on this passage...**

**First of all, "City Lights (Pretty Lights)" isn't my song. It's Priscilla Ahn's, and I don't own it in any way. I felt it would fit with Lana's state of mind here.**

**Yes, Lana is a bit detestable here, slightly OOC, but then again, she's going through a rough time. I apologize on her behalf. And yes, I'm sorry for those who don't like depressing stories that much, and for the huge amount of drama and tension that's happening here. I can say that it will get better with the chapters to come. Right now, these two don't seem to know how to work it out (laughs).**

**The Xmas arc was supposed to be one big chapter, but I was already writing so much here, I felt in the end it was better to seperate the arc into 2 chaps. So, the next one will be a direct continuation (obviously).**

**The whole Christmas setting in the 2015 scene is slightly cliché and fluffy, but then again, there needs to be more LanaxEdgey fluff out there :)**

**OK, that's enough chitchat. I thank once more everyone who has been reading and following this story! Means a lot :)**


	4. Chapter 4: A Basket of Fruits and Herbs

_Chapter 4: A Basket of Fruits and Herbs_

Running down the corridor of the top floor of the Prosecutors' office, Lana looked back to make sure Edgeworth could still keep up with her. Her pace grew slower when she readjusted her purse on her shoulder so it would not fall. The sound of their shoes rapidly clanking on the floor echoed in the silent empty hallway.

Edgeworth was hastening the quickest he could towards his office, following a sprinting Lana Skye. His legs were already aching, his breathing irregular, but he refused to stop. He could not panic. He tried to re-organize his thoughts. First of all, he could eliminate the possibility of a fire: they hadn't met any firemen in front of the building, they had been allowed to go into the parking lot and to use the elevator, and he could not sense any smell of burning or detect any smoke yet. What did worry him was the fact he had not seen the security guard in her usual area in the lobby…

Lana arrived at the end of the corridor and stopped in front of the largest entrance with a massive wooden door. The doorplate indicated the number of the office, with underneath in golden letters the title of "_Chief Prosecutor"_. Edgeworth noticed Lana had a puzzled expression upon her face. He understood her. He also found it strange that the door was closed. Furthermore, whatever was happening behind it, everything seemed to be completely quiet. Discomfortingly so…

He examined the doorknob. He hesitated. But he relaxed his tense arm. No time to lose! He turned the knob clockwise. It wasn't locked. He flung the door open and prepared to enter…until he was blinded by colorful projectiles in his eyes and deafened by loud shrieks in his ears.

"_SURPRIIIISE!"_ Surrounding him were a grinning Detective Gumshoe, a very upbeat Kay Faraday, and a smiling Maggey Byrde, all three of them holding party poppers in their hands.

After having shaken off the little bits of confetti from his face, Edgeworth blinked, and saw that his office had been invaded with festive banners and candles, his desk having been cleared out to make room for what looked like Christmas cookies and candies, alongside bottles of soft drinks and glasses. It took a while for him to recollect himself from the shock, and to comprehend exactly what was going on.

"_Wha-wha-wha-what? What do you think you are doing HERE?!"_ Edgeworth tried to sound menacing, but his voice was still trembling from the fright. He heard Lana approaching behind him. Though she was relieved nothing bad had happened, she still wanted to know what was going on.

Maggey nervously approached Edgeworth. She had been re-hired as a security guard in the building, after Gumshoe hadn't been able to find the "Goddess of Misfortune" another job. The Detective had to plead her employer to take her back.

"_Mr. Edgeworth, you're finally here! When Detective Gumshoe told me about his…plans tonight…he asked me if I could use this." _She presented the Master Key to him._ "But please, don't get mad, Mr. Edgeworth! Detective Gumshoe wanted to do something nice for you!" _ Maggey obviously didn't want the great prosecutor to lose his trust in her.

Kay then advanced. She slammed her palm so hard on Maggey's back that the security guard flinched. Kay didn't notice, placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, and laughed: _"Well, we thought we might just let Maggey tag along! After all, the more the merrier, don't you think so?"_ Edgeworth was about to reply, but she continued without paying attention: "_We were going to invite your sis', but she didn't seem too interested. Said she was busy and didn't have the time to attend such a foolish event with such foolish people. Yeah, and then she just said 'foolish' a lot. After that, Wolfman didn't seem like the party type either…and Larry's with his girlfriend, so…It's just us, I guess, but we're pretty fun people, so don't be too disappointed!" _Detective Gumshoe grinned harder at this statement.

Edgeworth was boiling inside. He was about to sharply retort that she still had not answered his question, when Lana came forth and took the words out of his mouth: "_Um…Excuse me, but…would you mind telling us what is happening here?"_

Everyone turned their heads towards her. It was as if the three intruders hadn't noticed her presence.

Uncomfortable, Detective Gumshoe decided he should respond: "_Oh, Mrs. Skye, didn't notice you behind Mr. Edgeworth there, pal! I mean, he's so tall and stuff _(laugh)_! So you're…not doing anything special for Christmas Eve either, huh?"_ He scratched his head, hoping they'd bought enough food for everyone. "_Well, we thought, since we all have nothing to do tonight, that maybe we should celebrate together!"_ He beamed, brandishing a bottle of champagne from one of the side tables, adding: "_Sorry for the fright, sir, but we thought you'd probably refuse if we just told you the truth. You're not really into parties and stuff. But I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun!"_

Edgeworth's eyebrows were still frowning. Gumshoe's own cheerful expression turned into a moping look. "_I'm sorry sir; I really didn't mean to scare you. And I didn't think Mrs. Skye would be with you tonight…"_ The prosecutor sighed as in resignation. After all, the detective was right: he probably would have declined his invitation if Gumshoe had straightforwardly asked him. He wondered why his friend had been so keen on thinking that Mrs. Skye would definitely not have been with him tonight. Detective Gumshoe must have known her little sister had left the country for her investigation. Then again, it was highly probable that the man had just forgotten about it…

"_Well, Detective Gumshoe, at least everything and everyone is safe and sound. But I do think you should apologize to Mrs. Skye: she was also very much alarmed by your call."_

The detective's droopy head bowed to ask for forgiveness, while Lana raised her hand to tell him it was all forgotten. Before Gumshoe could protest, he felt someone glaring at them. He turned his back and noticed that Kay was intensely staring, not at him, but at Lana specifically. He then recalled the fact they'd never met before.

"_Oh, uh, Kay, this is Lana Skye. She was Mr. Edgeworth's mentor many years ago. She's also Ema's sister. I've told you about Ema, the forensics detective, remember?"_

Kay didn't respond. She kept curiously eyeing, looking intently at this stranger who apparently was very close to Mr. Edgeworth, even though she'd never heard of this person before. Gummy was about to remind her that it was rude to stare, when she suddenly questioned Lana: "_So you're like…Mr. Edgeworth's secret girlfriend?"_

The room stood still. No one dared to speak up. Detective Gumshoe, upon noticing the different color changes in the prosecutor's face, clumsily hit Kay on the head. Kay, impatiently waiting for the answer, again totally oblivious, protested: "_Ouch, Gummy, whatcha you do that for?"_ Edgeworth, on the verge of exploding, his teeth clenching and his cheeks flushing, could only emit a grunt: "_Nnnghghh…K-Kay!"_

Without any warning, Lana responded in a soft voice: "_As much as you are Mr. Edgeworth's stalker, young woman."_

All of the people in the room looked at her in disbelief. Mr. Edgeworth was on the verge of fainting when he heard her words. Lana simply smiled. She knew what it was like to deal with gossipy young women with wild imaginations. Even Ema could still behave like a teenage girl sometimes. Mr. Edgeworth observed this change in her expression. Was she actually…joking?

Kay opened her eyes wide. She then grinned, put on a proud face, and replied: "_Hmffh! No way! I'm no vulgar stalker! I am a thief! A Great Thief!"_ She paused to clear her throat. "_Even in the depths of night, when no other bird dares to take flight, one alone soars to shine the light of righteousness on the world's blight! And that one is me, for I am the Great Thief Yatagarasu! And my goal is to steal the truth! I'm not interested in Mr. Edgeworth's hankies or anything like that, if that's what you mean…"_

Now very self-conscious (and highly conscious of his cravat as well), Edgeworth intruded upon their conversation: "_Um, I think that's enough for your introduction, Kay! Mrs. Skye, this Kay Faraday, the daughter of the famous prosecutor Byrne Faraday." _ Lana nodded, recalling the man's face from many years ago.

The atmosphere was tense once more with another awkward silence. Suddenly, a light bulb lit up over Detective Gumshoe's head. Hesitantly breaking the silence, he tried to make eye contact with Lana before speaking up:"_Oh, uh, Skye! I mean Mrs. Lana! No, Mrs. Skye! Yeah, that's it, Mrs. Skye! Now that you're here, I guess I could tell you the news."_

A glint of surprise appeared in Lana's eyes. Detective Gumshoe laughed: "_Heh! I guess it's the perfect time to do it, 'cause it's Christmas Eve and all! Alright, let's say this is my gift to you! I think…"_ He paused for a dramatic effect. Lana pressed him to continue: "_What is it, Detective? Please, proceed."_

The Detective smirked once again: "_I think there might be an opening at the police station for you. Some of us_…" He paused again, sadly this time, as if he'd remembered that he wasn't part of this group of people. "_Some guys down there got promoted before the holidays, and well, there's a spot available: police officer, if you're interested. It's basic stuff, like traffic control and all that, but it's something, I guess…"_ His voice trailed off, until he realized, from the look on her face, that Lana didn't seem to care about the job's constraints.

"_Oh…Oh…"_ Lana couldn't add anything else. She was obviously touched by Detective Gumshoe's efforts to find her a decent job. Maggey smiled: she knew very well the detective's heart of gold, so she understood Lana's reaction.

"_Oh, Detective, you have no idea how wonderful this is for me! I couldn't ask for anything else! Thank you! Thank you so much!"_ Lana rushed towards him, almost as if she wanted to hug him. She then controlled herself, thinking it might be inappropriate. She extended her arm in a more professional manner and whispered: "_Thank you"_. Embarrassed, a blushing Detective Gumshoe could only stutter. He uneasily put out his hand as well. Their handshake was vigorous: it was a way for them to confirm their new friendship.

Lana didn't detect the detective's wink at Mr. Edgeworth. It had been a hard task for Gumshoe to convince the other policemen to accept her candidature, due to the fact her record stated she'd been a former criminal. It wouldn't have been possible without the help of the Chief Prosecutor, who had been able to pull a few strings behind her back. Though this hadn't been _entirely_ permissible, it wasn't considered as illegal either, and Edgeworth believed it to be the right path to take. It was for her sake, after all…

After the handshake, Lana turned towards the two girls: "_Oh, and I really must apologize for intruding upon your gathering tonight!"_ Maggey and Kay both shook their heads in synchronization, a sign that meant they'd already accepted her as a guest. "_What did I say? 'The more the merrier', right?" _Kay cheerfully added. Lana smiled: "_Thank you"_. She turned towards Mr. Edgeworth, who seemed to have been hiding in a corner behind the door: "_Isn't this nice of your friends, Mr. Edgeworth?"_

The lawyer didn't know whether he really believed this to be _nice_, but he nevertheless showed his consent. As long as she continued to smile this way, he would approve of anything she said. It was a huge relief to see her like this after her distress when they were in his apartment building. As long as she continued to smile, everything would be fine…

The evening carried on with more surprises and special presents. Mr. Edgeworth was once again shocked upon discovering a brand new Steel Samurai special edition figurine of the Iron Infant from Kay and Gumshoe (if only they'd known it was the one that was missing from his collection), which he immediately tried to hide from his former mentor who curiously asked him what it was. Thankfully, Kay's shrieks upon discovering the new gadget she needed to enhance Little Thief's capacities to detect hidden objects caught Lana's attention. Detective Gumshoe then admitted Maggey partly helped him to pay for it because of _certain people_ who enjoyed giving him salary cuts…

* * *

Midnight had fallen. The detective's champagne had been poured into everyone's glasses that happily clinked to celebrate the arrival of Santa Claus (no one tried to deny his existence in front of Kay). After that, all five of them moved to the building's roof to contemplate the shining stars, after the menacing snowy clouds had disappeared. While the Great Thief complained about how chilly it was, and Maggey proposed to do some warm-ups with Gumshoe to fight the cold, Edgeworth spotted Lana near the balcony, her left hand holding her glass, her right one tightening her muffler, gazing at the skies. He was uncertain whether he should approach her, though he wanted to make sure she was feeling better.

He didn't hear Kay come near him until she whispered in his ear: "_So Mr. Edgeworth…You sure you don't have a teensy little crush on her?"_ He jumped:"_Ah-Uh-Eh-Wh-Wh-What?! Kay, you have to stop sneaking up to people without warning! And you should stop saying out loud whatever foolish thoughts go through your mind!"_ Kay tilted her head: "_You're starting to sound like your sister, you know that?"_

"_Nghhhoooh!"_ Was she even listening to what he was trying to say? "_Kay, would you please?"_ She tilted her head the other way: "_You still haven't answered my question yet, you know that?"_ He could only shake his head in despair:"_Please, you know very well where I stand when it comes to those types of…relationships…"_ He didn't know how to formulate this. He left Kay standing there pensively and went to join Mrs. Skye.

Kay took Detective Gumshoe aside. Before Gummy could ask what was going on, she pointed towards the balcony where the two lawyers were standing together, and whispered to her partner: "_Now come on, don't you think that could work out? I mean, they're kinda alike, in the way they speak, the way they act…Except that she's got a sense of humor, while his…funniness is unintentional…"_

Before she could continue, the detective removed her hand from his arm, and shook his head: "_I wouldn't get into it, Kay. You know how Mr. Edgeworth is with women. Plus, I remember, those two got a history together, and it's not that pretty a story."_ Kay widened her eyes, insisting he tell her more, but the detective refused: "_Hey, it's a long story, and I'm not going to talk about it tonight. Sorry Kay, you'll just have to let it drop."_ Disappointed, Kay observed Gumshoe return to his warm-ups with Maggey, then looked again at Edgeworth and Lana side by side. She flinched. Something strange was going on with her friend and this woman, and she wanted to know what.

Meanwhile, Edgeworth cautiously asked Mrs. Skye if she was feeling a bit better. His left knee bent, his hands clasped together, his wrists reposing on the balcony's railing, the prosecutor looked into the distance at the city's skyline. Lana was also observing the view, captivated by the lights that blinked from the top of the skyscrapers. Her smile was somewhat relieved, somewhat sad: "_Oh. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Edgeworth. You should not worry about me. I shouldn't be acting like this at all. It's just…_" She thought about what to say next, about what she should reveal to him and what she should keep to herself. "_This is just a difficult moment in my life, that's all."_

She bent her head slightly backwards with a small laugh: "_Oh God. You really have caught me at a bad time. Once more, I guess. I should continuously apologize to you, but I know you won't let me. I wish I could do something to repay you, for everything you've done. I owe you…"_ She was about to say 'my life', but thought it might sound superficial. "_…So much."_ She tried not to hint at the 2017 murder case, the trial where he had truly saved her life, even after learning that she had stabbed him in the back. She didn't want her past guilt to submerge her once more. Even though she'd never told him how regretful she'd felt during that trial. Even though she still felt that way. She wanted to change the subject, but was concerned when she didn't hear him speak.

"_Mr. Edgeworth?"_ He straightened himself to respond. "_You know…you should know, Mrs. Skye, that you are not a burden to me. You never have been, and my respect for you hasn't changed."_ Lana stared at his face, as if this were her first time seeing it, as if she were seeing him in a new light. He blushed, and looked away, wondering why she was gazing at him in that manner. "_Have you always been so compassionate, so generous, Mr. Edgeworth?"_ Blushing even more, he rapidly glanced at her, and then quickly looked away again. He seemed distressed. He couldn't think of an answer.

After a heavy silence, he managed to hurriedly reply: _"Well well, no! You should not see it that way: I am not a generous person at all! You see, you have also given me…a lot in the past, and this is my way of repaying you."_

Lana kept a neutral face. She nodded. When he embarrassingly turned his head away, she bit her lip. So that was it. He was repaying a debt. Nothing more. Inwardly, she cynically laughed at herself. She briskly, yet gently, touched his shoulder to inform him that she was going to join the other group.

He watched her leave. He sighed. He'd almost fallen into the trap: he'd almost lost his composure. It was as if a black hole had sucked in all his thoughts the moment she'd looked at him like that. He'd almost panicked. He clenched his fists in frustration. Had he been clumsy? Was that why she left him? He relaxed his hands. No. It was fine. She'd seemed to have accepted his answer as a perfectly reasonable reply. He inhaled, exhaled. "_Everything is fine, Miles. Calm down, now. Everything is fine"_, he kept repeating to himself.

He sighed again. "_Kay, I noticed you five minutes ago. You can come out now."_

Kay grumbled, and left her hiding spot, which she'd thought was a perfect place to spy on her two 'lovebirds'.

"_If you're planning on becoming a Great Thief, Kay, I'd be more careful with your next victim"._ Kay grumbled some more: "_All right, all right, Mr. Edgeworth, I've got the message: I need to work on my spying skills."_ Edgeworth rolled his eyes: this was really the first he'd ever heard someone talk about 'spying skills'.

Kay continued: "_But still, you've got to admit Mr. Edgeworth, something's happened to you…"_ She bent her back and started examining him with one eye shut, placing her hand near her other eye as if using a magnifying glass. "_I may be no detective like Gummy, but I smell something fishy here."_ She pretended to sniff the air around him. "_Are you sure her charms haven't had some aphrodisiac effect on you?"_ She grinned, happy that she'd managed to place the word 'aphrodisiac', a word she'd heard on some soap opera on TV, in a conversation.

Edgeworth swiftly turned around to make sure Lana had not overheard anything, as Kay had spoken quite loudly. He was relieved upon seeing that she was deep in conversation with Detective Gumshoe, which probably had something to do with her new job. He looked back at Kay, opened his mouth, ready to scold her, but then closed it again. He knew that it was impossible to try to convince her otherwise. He gave up: "_Oh, for heaven's sake! I don't even know why I'm giving you advice for your next burglary. This is ridiculous!"_ He went back and left Kay alone for a second time. He thought he should tell Detective Gumshoe he was going to return to his warm office to get a cup of tea.

Kay boisterously laughed: "_Ha ha! You've got to learn to be less susceptible, Mr. Edgeworth! Actually no, stay like that! Teasing you is just so much fun!"_ She heard him mutter something in the distance."_Oh, and by the way, you still haven't answered my question yet!" _ She scoffed. Whatever the prosecutor would say, her suspicions would be denied. Nonetheless, Kay had clearly noticed some change in him since his conversation with Lana. She shrugged her shoulders, decided she should make fun of Edgeworth some other time, and looked up at the skies to contemplate the stars that happily twinkled.

Edgeworth, though fervently awaiting the taste of one of the brews of Twinings' Special Fruit and Herbal Collection, hesitated to interrupt Lana and the detective's discussion. They had their backs turned; they didn't notice him. He could overhear her ask: "_Detective Gumshoe, this might be nothing important, but why did you think I wouldn't be with Mr. Edgeworth tonight? I'm sorry, this is a silly question, but it's been bothering me a little."_

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. So she had also been wondering about the detective's reaction. He approached, curious to hear Gumshoe's response. He felt slightly immature, sneaking up on them the same way Kay did.

The detective didn't say anything at first: he was obviously hesitating. He managed to awkwardly respond: "_Oh, that! Uh, yeah, oh, well, I didn't know, I was just…well, it's nothing, but I just…assumed that…"_ Lana insistently nodded her head for him to carry on. "_Well, I guess, since it's been a couple of days that we've released him, I guess I thought…Well, you guys were close and all, so I just… I thought you would be spending Christmas Eve with Jake Marshall."_

Above them, the stars froze. They'd suddenly stopped sparkling over the little group of people on the rooftop.

Lana's lips parted. She didn't move. Everything was silent still. Until the champagne glass that slipped from her fingers shattered on the floor into a million little broken pieces.

A shriek. Everyone abruptly turned round to face the screamer. Embarrassed, Maggey shyly looked down at the ground, bit her tongue, and scratched her head in a Gumshoesque manner: "_Sorry, I'm sorry Mrs. Skye, I didn't mean to scream! I just get freaked out by the sound of broken glass, that's all. Reminds me of my misfortune and all that."_

Normally, the first concern that would have gone through Edgeworth's mind would have probably been about whether he could feel secure in his office with a security guard who was afraid of something as trivial as the sound of shattering glass. But of course, the name of Detective Marshall changed everything.

How…? How was this possible? How could this be happening _now_, of all times?! Right from the moment he'd remembered that sc-…

He closed his eyes. He had to stop and think. It made sense, after all. Mrs. Skye had been released about a year ago…even though her crimes involving the SL-9 Incident and her cooperation with Damon Gant over the years had been greater than Jake's own misdeeds. Maybe Detective Marshall had confessed some greater sins he'd committed before the Bruce Goodman case…

He opened his eyes again when he heard Detective Gumshoe inquire in a surprised tone: "_Um, Mrs. Skye, you…you didn't know about this? I mean, we did try to keep the press quiet about it. But, yeah, I guess it still was in the news, and all that."_

Lana's face sufficed as an answer for Detective Gumshoe to finally understand that yes, indeed, she had not heard about Jake Marshall's release. Edgeworth recalled the fact that Lana had stopped watching television or reading the newspaper during her stay, as well as that she had made everything possible to isolate herself from the rest of society. Even if she'd paid a visit to the police station on several occasions, she wouldn't have heard anything if the police had been intent on keeping this event a secret…

Yes, it was all perfectly logical. And yet, he couldn't help feeling an unexpected stinging sensation of dread and cold inside him, watching Lana confusedly look around her as if trying to find an answer for the question that was burning on both their lips: '_Why did this have to occur now?' _

* * *

**Hello everyone! It's the author again!**

** I must confess, it feels good writing such a cheerful chapter (at least, when you compare it to the previous ones). I thought the story needed some comic relief from all the drama, so I hope the happy-go-lucky trio eases the tension for now...**

** Speaking of those three, I almost forgot that Kay isn't a teenager anymore when writing this chapter. As you've probably figured out by now, the story's happening during the AJ timeline, so she must be about 23. Well, I can't imagine her as a mature young woman, so I'm going to make her act like she's still 17. Sorry Kay :p**

** You can interpret Edgeworth's uneasiness however you want (you're the reader after all). I think his hesitations mostly illustrate the fact he is the kind of person who naturally has difficulties when it comes to social relations, who keeps asking himself too many questions because he doesn't trust his own actions or his own words in those situations. Then again, there might be something more when it comes to Lana...**

**See you next time, and don't hesitate to review :)!**


	5. Chapter 5: Faraway Mint and Lemon Days

_Chapter 5: Faraway Mint and Lemon Days_

On the 1rst of January, many questions were left hanging in the air, as the fireworks skyrocketed into the night skies to display in sparkling numbers the year '_2026'_. The winter wind returned to freeze the usually dynamic city of LA, which now stood still from the icy cold weather.

Edgeworth had quickly gotten back to work at the beginning of the week for the upcoming trials of the month, spending much more time in his office than before. Pesu was now, yet again, left alone in the apartment with the dog walker, as Lana had also started to work diligently at her new job as a police officer, even agreeing to cover other people's evening shifts. Now that she was starting a new life from scratch, she needed to get back on the right track, and the only way to achieve that was to make sure she could still have some kind of career. And it was also easier to avoid the prosecutor, now that she was staying at the police station during late hours…

She rarely saw him these days. But that was fine. She preferred avoiding that steel grey look of his for now. She felt scared at the idea of having to face him every morning and evening, even though she couldn't figure out why she was all of a sudden feeling guiltier than before. She couldn't understand what she'd done wrong this time. Yet, she could sense that same feeling from him: he also wanted to keep that distance between them. Ever since she'd gotten back into contact with Jake Marshall, the tension in his apartment had worsened, just like the increasing piles of snow that, with each day, intensified the cold in the streets.

Jake. Since their last meeting, she'd noticed how much prison had changed him. He looked older, bitterer somehow. But she knew what the experience was like. She knew how much imprisonment could haunt you, could lead you to think about, to remember, and thus to regret past mistakes…and how alienated you felt afterwards, as if you knew you'd never lead the same life again.

Even though, during their few encounters, they'd never directly talked about the past, Lana couldn't help but feel uneasy around Jake. Whatever he said or did reminded her about her errors from so many years ago. She had to make efforts to be presentable, to smile in front of him, to reassure him, to say that yes, she was coping with everything. If only he knew how much she was lying to him, to herself; how painful seeing him again really was, how much she felt this was the worst time for her to go through all of this.

She knew he wanted her to trust him like before, but it was impossible. How could she if that trust couldn't be reciprocal? Because she knew he hadn't forgotten…

Jake had noticed the last time they'd met that she was sleep deprived. She'd simply shrugged her shoulders, saying she just had some light sleeping problems. She didn't add anything else: there was no reason for her to make him worry about her nightmares. He advised her to be careful about her health at work. She didn't reply: she thought to herself that work was essential, and that she couldn't afford to let go right now. Work was her fuel, what helped her to go through each day and to resist the envy to lock herself up in her room the whole time.

A few days after New Year's, Lana was hurrying back to Edgeworth's apartment, as night had already fallen, and she was impatiently awaiting to nestle down in her bed, exhausted after having spent many long difficult hours at the police station.

She checked her cell. Jake had left a message. He wanted to know when they could meet up this weekend. Lana put her phone back in her purse. She didn't want to have to deal with this right now. She'd answer tomorrow in the morning.

When she opened the front door, she was surprised she didn't hear any barking. She then saw Pesu quietly sleeping in the hallway. Lana couldn't help but envy the sensation of peace that was emanating from the resting dog.

She heard the sound of rustling paper from Mr. Edgeworth's office. Upon realizing that the door was slightly ajar, she approached the room. She saw him sorting out some of his legal documents, taking out files and plastic sheets, and placing them on his desk. The scene seemed rather strange to Lana: even though everyone knew how tidy and organized the Chief Prosecutor was, probably no one had ever witnessed him in the process of cleaning his own office, whether at home or at the Prosecutors' building. For some reason, Lana had always imagined that this had been Detective Gumshoe's duty. Perhaps the lawyer didn't trust the detective with his paperwork…

Even though he'd heard her approach, the prosecutor didn't react at first. She was unsure whether he'd noticed her or not, until, after a small silence, he addressed her in a cold tone, without turning his head to greet her: "_Mrs. Skye. Good evening."_

Lana caught her breath. She was slightly surprised at his behavior, although this wasn't, of course, the first time she was confronted with Edgeworth's occasional severity. Deceived he was acting like this with her at such a moment, she stiffly replied:" _And good evening to you, Mr. Edgeworth._"

She was even more surprised when she heard him continue in an icy, almost blaming, tone: "_You've come home late."_ Edgeworth tried to hide his curiosity in his voice, and resisted the envy to inquire about where she'd been and with whom.

Lana Skye, however, was stunned. Why was he reacting this way? He might have welcomed her under his roof, but he certainly was not allowed to control her movements or to decide her schedules. She was about to apologize, until she realized she had no reason to do such a thing. Instead, she sharply answered: "_Yes, I was very busy at the station. I guess I am coming home late, but I didn't think you would be bothered by it. I assumed you would still be working." _She stopped talking, as her assumption was correct: he was apparently very much occupied at his desk, as he did not even look up from his files during this short conversation.

Upon turning her back to leave his office, resentfully, she muttered to herself: "_After all, you still need to repay me a debt, don't you?"_ She immediately regretted she'd pronounced those words. Thankfully, Edgeworth didn't seem to have overheard her.

Her police uniform had been uncomfortably sticking to her skin from all the sweat she'd accumulated during the day. She went back into the hallway to hang her jacket on the coat peg, and headed towards her bedroom to change. She indifferently added: "_Good night."_

"_Yes, good night, Mother."_

Lana turned her head in dismay. Had she…had she heard that well? Had he…had he really just called her _that_?!

Edgeworth, who had gotten up and left his office for the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea, didn't seem to have noticed his slip at first. Noticing her, he looked up at her with a vaguely irritated gaze, his arms crossed, wondering why she was still standing in the hallway in such a stunned way, her eyes wide open.

And then, it hit him. As if the echo of his own words had suddenly resonated in his ears. And then, his face grew red, then blue, then a weird shade of purple that seemed to be a mixture of both colors. His eyes bulged behind his glasses, his shaking arms uncrossed themselves, his lips and limbs started trembling, his mouth opened but let out no sound. And then his whole body turned white, as if he were losing consciousness of his environment. He froze.

"_Uh….I…Uh…uh…ah…eh!"_ While his arms confusedly waved in all directions, his badly adjusted glasses started falling off. He rapidly seized them before they touched the floor and, in a wobbling manner, put them back on his nose. They slid off his face again, so he ended up holding them in his quivering hands.

In a state of absolute distress, he crossed his arms, uncrossed them again, and repeated this movement several times: "_Um ah eh, Mrs. Skye, I am ve-ve-very sorry! I am going to have to leave you, if you'll pl-please excuse me!" _His eyes squinting, he turned his back to her, as if returning to his office. "_I-I-I-I do not know what has come over me, I-I-I think I-I am experiencing some-some difficulties with work, pressure I assume, yes yes, it must be the pressure! Occupational stress, and all that!"_

He looked back, knowing he wouldn't have even convinced himself with such a speech, but had to quickly turn around again to avoid her gaze. He almost tripped over the sleeping ball of fur that was Pesu when walking away: " _I-I am really very sorry Mrs. Skye, I must apo-apologize, yes really! My head is…"_ He did not even finish his sentence, as he had already shut the door to his office behind him and locked it tight.

Completely baffled, Lana stood still for a while. She heard the dog whimper in the hallway and sat by her side. She gently stroked Pesu back and forth. The dog seemed almost as concerned as she was about her master's well-being. She continued stroking the collie's fur, back and forth, until she finally decided to go to bed.

It took her a while before she fell asleep. There were different reasons for her insomnia, this time around. Instead of constantly changing her sleeping positions (what she often did during her usually restless nights), she just lied stiff on her mattress. While she heard Mr. Edgeworth pacing back and forth in his office, she kept repeating the same question in her mind over and over again: how could a man like Mr. Edgeworth, who had always been so cool-headed, panic in such a way? This certainly wasn't the same young composed prosecutor she had mentored ten years ago. She'd always thought she knew him well. But what had just happened had been so unexpected, that she wondered whether that was really true.

Though Lana Skye wasn't tormented by any scary nightmares that night, she nevertheless dreamed a strange vivid scene, where she was standing lost in a dark forest during a blizzard. She could simultaneously hear Jake and Mr. Edgeworth, their voices coming from opposite directions, both of them pleading her to leave, to stay, to leave, to stay, to leave, to stay…

* * *

One late afternoon, Mr. Edgeworth was at the Prosecutors' office. Ever since that disastrous night, he'd decided to stay later at work than usual, even if it meant coming home towards midnight. He even left his apartment earlier in the morning and had small breakfasts at his desk. He couldn't help thinking how completely inappropriate it was to eat at his workplace like that. Luckily, the Watergate Hotel across the street had still accepted to provide him its services.

Frustrated, he tried the best he could to read once more the autopsy report in his hands, but the black typed letters seemed to either jump out of the paper, or to dance on the white sheet, as if mocking him. Exasperated, Edgeworth grunted. He tried to focus one more time, his ink pen irritably tapping on the page. But the paper went blank again. Edgeworth closed his eyes, placed his notes and his pen back on the table, and took a deep breath. His hands started tapping on the handles of his office chair. He had to concentrate. He had to find a way to clear his mind of everything; he had to _think_, and he most importantly had to calm down, to calm down, to calm…This relaxation technique didn't work very well. His fingers startes tapping even more nervously on the handles. Oh, why couldn't he just forget it all?!

His teeth clenched, he let out a groan. A sudden rush overcame his entire body: he abruptly got up from his seat, his hands violently seizing the files on the desk that then went flying in the air, his other pens and pencils falling off the bureau at the same time, his desk lamp dangerously wobbling at the edge of the table.

Edgeworth managed to catch the lamp before it tumbled down with the rest of his office supplies. While his documents lightly landed on the ground, the lawyer heavily sat back in his chair.

He inhaled, exhaled, putting his sore hand to his forehead and taking off his glasses. What was going on with him?! How in the world had he become like that, like an impulsive animal, a madman who started throwing his own documents across the room in that manner?! Something was deeply wrong. He had to get a hold of himself if he didn't want his career to be in jeopardy. Or even his sanity, if this mess continued…

He heard a shy knock at the door. Recognizing the voice of the Watergate bellboy, he sharply told the man he could come in. The bellboy opened the door with his usual sparkling clean-teethed smile, until he noticed the prosecutor, whose hand palm was still covering his face. The lawyer was seated at his desk like an island surrounded by a sea of papers. The steward apprehensively approached the table, skillfully avoiding the mass of sheets and files on the floor, and professionally placed the tray on the bureau, discreetly announcing: "_Your tea, sir". _

Edgeworth couldn't even remember whether he'd thanked the man or not when he heard the door close. He took a sip from the cup: the Chamomile with Mint and Lemon tea calmed his nerves and reduced his body tension. Though Edgeworth always had his suspicions about so-called 'organic' brews, at that moment, the particular beverage was just fine.

"_Mother"_. Hmpfh. It still felt ridiculous now that he'd repeated that word a second time out loud. How could he have said something so outrageous?! How could that have ever crossed his mind?! This could not simply be explained by the fact his schedules were tighter than before: Edgeworth had always been able to cope with stress well and had almost never panicked like that during the course of his career.

But why…why 'Mother' of all people? That was the question that mostly bothered him, yet the question that he desired to avoid the most as well. Why did he have to bring up the name of a woman he'd lost so long ago, who had left this world years before he had ever even _wanted_ to become a lawyer?

The few memories of his mother Miles had left were too vague for him to recall the features of her face. He had merely been an infant at the time, after all. He could only remember a certain agreeable, peaceful scent that enveloped the distant faint image he had of the blurry shape of a woman, like an aura that conveyed all the gentleness that person had to offer to the fragile being in the crib. Her perfume reminded him of a whole different series of sensations, of her soft touch, of her graceful movements, and of her warm comforting presence…

The mint and lemon vapor blended with the aroma of the past. Edgeworth let himself be transported by his reverie for a while, until he suddenly woke up again when he heard a loud noise at his window. He turned around, saw a bird tapping at the windowpane; it then flew away when it was spotted by the prosecutor.

He realized he was still in his office when he noticed all the mess on his floor. He sighed, stared at his cup, at the hazy brown waves where the teabag was slowly floating, like a boat at sea during a gentle windstorm.

While Edgeworth picked up all of his papers, one by one, several other memories flashed through his mind: him sitting at a desk at the police station, surrounded by high-ranked detectives who were laughingly eyeing him, as if he were an incapable child who did not belong there, until Mrs. Skye came over with her own files for him to consult her notes on the case, her appeasing smile sweetly greeting him. He remembered the time when she started working as LA's Chief Prosecutor, how distant she became, even though she'd just been assigned as his mentor, how she turned her back on him like everyone else, even though she'd promised to look after him…How he'd then understood he had to fight alone, without anyone's help.

Edgeworth returned to the present moment. While rearranging his folders on his shelves, the lawyer couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Mrs. Skye during her meetings with Jake Marshall. It was none of his business, naturally. What they were talking about, what they were doing, where they were going… But these questions kept haunting him, torturing him inside, and he couldn't find a way to let it all go, even though it would make everything so much simpler.

Would she…would she invite Marshall back to the prosecutor's own apartment? Would she offer Jake a drink in his _own _kitchen, hand him over one of his_ own_ cups, with one of his _own _teas…?

No, no. Never. She would never do something like that. He had to stop imagining these things. He couldn't lose sight of who she really was.

Edgeworth, pressing himself against his shelves, his arm covering his face, sighed one last time and put the last folder back in its place.

* * *

It was two o'clock in the morning when he came back home. The lights were turned off in the entrance. Pesu ran down the hallway, and started tugging at the hem of his pants when he approached her. She wasn't aggressive, but still hurt her master's leg. Edgeworth bent down to stop her from worriedly whimpering, to calm her down. He then felt another presence nearby. He looked up.

Lana was standing in front of him, in the dark. She was still dressed in her usual day outfit. Her facial expression didn't show any sign of anger or resentment, but of concern, and a bit of relief in her green eyes that seemed to glow in the shadows. She hesitated to advance once she saw he'd noticed her, but still moved toward him.

"_Mr. Edgeworth…You're back. I'm sorry, I'm still up, but I was a little concerned…I mean, you do come home later than before, but it is usually towards midnight…Oh, but don't think I'm blaming you, it's not that! I just thought something might have happen-"_

Edgeworth interrupted her: "_No, no, you do not have to apologize! I am the one who is sorry, I should have warned you, I should have called…"_ He stopped, as he could smell the flavor of chicken. He could perceive in the shadowy distance on the living room table a plate wrapped with cellophane paper. Leftovers from Lana's dinner. He presumed it had been left for him. This was the first time she'd done that ever since he came late from work. He then understood what this meant. A feeling of guilt overcame him.

"_I…Uh…Yes…" _He could not finish his sentence. Mrs. Skye didn't mind. They didn't dare to confront each other about what had happened the other night.

Suddenly, Lana opened her eyes wide: she remembered she still had to announce him several things before going to bed. "_Oh, Mr. Edgeworth, actually, I need to talk to you about certain issues!"_

Edgeworth jumped, as if she had waked him up from a deep slumber:_ "Oh…"_ He shook himself, and blinked several times. He put down his briefcase, and started taking off his overcoat. "_Oh, but, yes, of course! Pray tell me! Is something the matter?"_

Lana displayed a feeling of reluctance on her face before she continued to speak, but then looked up at him and said with a firm tone: "_I…I need to inform you that your stalker will not be bothering you anymore. Well, for the time being, I hope."_

Edgeworth raised his eyebrows, stopped the movement of his hand taking off his coat from its sleeve. He had not anticipated such a strange announcement. How had Lana gotten into contact with Mrs. Oldbag? Or had she directly talked to the police about it? If his suspicions turned out to be true, and she had really openly revealed to the young police officers his problems with that insufferable woman, it would be very embarrassing indeed. Mr. Edgeworth could easily imagine the policemen sneering at him behind his back during his frequent visits down at the station to meet Detective Gumshoe.

"_You, you mean…well, what exactly do you mean by that, Mrs. Skye?"_

Lana's eyes shifted to the front door: "_I had come home earlier from work. I came back to change, as I was meeting with…an acquaintance. That is when I saw an elderly woman roaming around the hallway of your floor. She didn't see me at first, and she started installing some kind of device on your door. I didn't understand why, of course. I assumed you would have told me if someone was coming for repairs. And that person was clearly too old to be hired for any kind of manual work." _ Edgeworth sighed when he heard Mrs. Skye say that: if only she'd known how many jobs Wendy Oldbag had gotten in the last ten years, despite her age.

"_So I started asking her a few simple questions. I'll admit, it sounded a bit like a detective interrogation, now that I think about it. It was obvious she was lying about the fact that she was the building's janitor: she couldn't even come up with an identification paper. So I took out my police badge..."_

Mr. Edgeworth interrupted: "_You…did not arrest her, did you?"_

Lana laughed: "_Oh no, I only scared her a little bit. She didn't realize I was just a mere officer and not an inspector, and she immediately jumped when she saw the badge. She started blabbering something about how rude our generation was with the elders, and some nonsense about her youth as a security guard…Well, I wasn't going to let her continue, so I just pushed her out of the way, and ordered her to take off the device if she didn't want to be arrested for intrusion. She did so in the end, reluctantly. It was only when I asked her to leave so that I could enter that she asked me what I was doing in your apartment, and what my relationship was with you. That was when I understood who she really was."_

Mr. Edgeworth, puzzled, inquisitively asked: "_And…what did you do next?"_

Lana Skye paused with a dark look, until she added in a very neutral tone: _"I…prefer not to say. In any case, I did not bring her to the station. I think I frightened her enough. I do not think she will be bothering u- I mean, you, for now."_ Another pause. "_I am sorry; arresting her was probably the right thing to do. I should have…"_

Mr. Edgeworth stopped her from speaking, and bowed to her: "_Mrs. Skye, believe me when I say you have my full gratitude. I cannot thank you enough for what you've just done. You have accomplished the impossible. I thank you."_

Lana weakly smiled, but bit her lip again upon hearing the word '_gratitude'_. She nevertheless responded in a less cold tone: "_Oh, it was nothing. You really do not have to thank me like this, Mr. Edgeworth. If I ever see that woman again, I will bring her down for questioning, I promise"._ Edgeworth rose. Lana swiftly turned her back on him. "_Well, on that note, I think I will turn in for the night"._

Edgeworth wanted to stop her, to thank her for having left the remains of her dinner for him, until he suddenly recalled: "_Mrs. Skye? Was there not something else you had to inform me about?" _

Lana stood still, then noticed Mr. Edgeworth's home phone on a little counter, and suddenly remembered: "_Oh, but of course! How could I have forgotten something so important?! After the incident this afternoon, I…received a call from Ema."_

This news wasn't surprising to the prosecutor, as Ema had often called from abroad to talk to her sister. Nonetheless, a glint of joy appeared in Lana's deep eyes when she remembered her conversation with her sibling: "_She is back in town. She arrived this morning by plane, and she was so exhausted from jet lag that she didn't have the time to call me earlier."_

Mr. Edgeworth couldn't resist smiling upon hearing Lana's excitement in her voice: "_That is very good news, Mrs. Skye. I am happy to hear that. Your sister has probably been missing you."_ Lana acquiesced. "_But if you don't mind my asking, does she have a place to stay, now that your apartment is…is not suitable for both of you anymore?"_

Lana quickly answered his question: "_Ema told me she is staying at a good friend's house, and that I did not have to worry about her, that she is safe and sound. She told me she still has some clean clothes from her trip, but I proposed that we see each other soon to go to her apartment together, and…"_

Lana and Edgeworth moved to the living room. Mrs. Skye continued to explain what she had arranged with her sister for the coming weeks, and described to the lawyer the current state of Ema's place, as the fire department had told her that they were slowly finishing their work before renovations could be started. Mr. Edgeworth did not talk. He listened carefully, and nodded to everything she had to say. He didn't want her to stop talking. He _had_ to hear her speak like that again. Her voice, even when it conveyed excitement, had a strange soothing effect on him.

Towards three o'clock in the morning, Lana finally decided to go to bed. She got up from his sofa and wished him goodnight. He wished her the same, but decided to stay on the couch for a while. He caressed Pesu, who came to his ankles. The collie then jumped on the seat next to him, where Lana had been sitting just a few minutes ago.

Edgeworth wondered what had really happened during Lana's meeting with Wendy Oldbag. What could she have done to make the usually fearless old woman flee in such a way? Had Mrs. Skye…?

A flashing image of a knife being stuck into a man's body came to his mind. The prosecutor shook his head. No. That case was long over by now. And Lana Skye had been proved innocent. She was not a murderer. No, not at all. She was not like any of the guilty criminals he'd encountered over the years.

Edgeworth sourly smiled to himself. He couldn't figure out how he'd ever been able to live through those trials without falling apart. It had almost been as painful as the Von Karma case…

He closed his eyes. Those days were long gone by now. He had managed to '_rise above it all'_, as she had once said. He had found the path that led to the truth. All had been resolved.

Or had it? Had everything, absolutely everything, been taken care of? Could he still confront the truth from the past, as he had done eight years ago? He started observing his hands, the same ones that had violently thrown his files all over his office that afternoon. He curled his fingers into his palm, and looked at his fists. Did he really still have the courage to face the truth?

Instead of reflecting any further on these troubling questions, he decided to pet Pesu a bit more. He needed the warmth and the comfort his dog had to offer. He felt her soft fur between his fingers, and stroked up and down the collie's body. He'd forgotten about the nasty threatening letter he'd collected in his mailbox an hour ago, a menacing message that had been destined to Mrs. Skye, and that had now been stuffed at the bottom of his briefcase.

* * *

**Hello, hello, it's MindJinx!**

** This chapter isn't very interesting, sorry about that: it was meant to be more of a 'transition' chapter. I promise that the next one will be a bit more stimulating. **

**I hope the whole Oedipal complex subplot at least made it entertaining. It's just so much fun playing around with Edgey's mind, as Kay says. I don't know why, but even though I love being cruel to my characters, I still end up feeling bad for them (laughs). I'm weird...**

** The next chapters will take more time to write, now that summertime is almost over, so it will be a while before Chap.6 is out. I apologize in advance. In any case, I'll see you then!**


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